Electric plug



y 9 1950 H. A. CLINE 2,507,092

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed Dec. '7, 1944 Envenior Havel A flline AiiarnegPatented May 9, 1950 mett LUG Harold A. Cline, Dayton, Ohio, assignor ofone half to John J; Daggon, llaytorLOhio:

AppiicationDecemher '7, 1944, Serial No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 173-361) My invention relates to plug caps for electricaloutlets, and the like and more particularly to plug caps having novelmeans to remove them from the electrical outlets, and being otherwiseparticularly constructed so as to prevent the plug cap from beingremoved from the "eutlet by pulling on the cord connection, which latteris inserted into the plug cap for connection thereto, through the sidethereof, thus preventing the cord Wires from being loosened from theplug terminals, and at the same time preventing broken cords and brokenwires, all of which makes my invention very practical from thestandpoint of safety.

Many of the plug caps not! on the market are difficult to remove fromthe outlets because there is no means thereon by which they may begrasped, and therefore the person usually takes hold of the cordconnection and pulls, or jerks the plug cap from the outlet, with theresult that the cord often breaks, or the Wires therein break or pullloose from the erminals.

When the latter occurs there is danger of short circuits and even fire.Then again, by this t d. r re oving h l s caps. from th cu e,

letsftheperson does not always pull straight, h is, i e ine of th c d animes the cordv/ires Will break inside the cord and cause Serious troubleby short circuits and incon-' venience before they can be repaired.

The main reason for pulling or jerking on the plug cap cord is because,in practically all of the lus n w an r et e ord comes out of the top ofthe plug cap, and therefore it is a'perfectly natural thing for theperson to grasp the cord to remove the plug cap from the outlet, ratherthan taking hold of the plug cap proper, and particularly so because,there is no means on thecap to assist the person in remQving hebapAnother reason is that the plug caps are quite smooth and consequentlyslippery, because they are of a half round construction, and so the per:sons fingers slip off the plug cap, after which the person usually grabshold of the cord and jerks the plug from the outlet, with the badresults, stated above, namely, Wires pulled loose, from the plugterminals, or broken wires, or broken cords.

With the above undesirablev features in mind, and with the purpose ofeliminating such une desirable features, I have invented and produced anovel plug cap for electrical outlets, which can be. very easily removedfrom any outlet without any danger or having the wires, become, disconga d led oo e fibm. he lus can ierm nals, and also vvit out any danger ofthe cord or vvires thereinbeing broken;

It is therefre an o 'ec of my invention to produce a' novel plug capwhich can be easily removed from any electrical outlet with perfectsafety relative to short circuits and broken Wires or ord I .i Anotherobject of my invention is to produce a novel plug cap having meansthereon tofacilitate removal of the cap frorn an electrical outlet.Another object is the production of a p lug cap having an. opening inthe side thereof for the insertion of the connection cord thus"preventing ar nd ncy 9r es redfa perse e n" the cord'to remove-the plugcap from an tuna." A more specific object is the productionofa" plug caphaving a pull ring to facilitate easy emova of t e p rom an utle Afurther objectbf inventionis to produce a n el plug c whic ha h n d w ln and also an opening in the side of the cap for the insertion of theelectric cord. t

A still further object is the production of a novel plug cap havingahinged pun means or ring, which, when not. in usejis folded in flushwith thetop of thecap n bi z s? PIY dH Q l P 12; we

with a se 11 ,4 1 rin ran as t? av. flush with the" top ottlie' cap whennot in use, and having its hinge point directly above the plus Calterminals sq hat 4 the Pull "on the; ring is in the mast" effectiveplace relative to terminals, tnusmaking for easy, removal or the plugcap from 'an'outlt;

A further object 1 1 provide. a novel plug cap with a recess in th 1 1,lll. 3 f to provide for e ceie th 'h' m ll ne ca as l removed from itsclosed or flush position into ts op r pulling position.

A further object is 'tqprovide a novel plug cap,

having a novel'pivotedpull means. thern tq;

facilitate removal o'fith cap from any outlet and to provide an, OD? forthe insertion of electric, cordthus calls,

.s h e t e ai r ntl to the di 9, 11

of u n he can w write t' o outlet.

i ee r it an whe e to -P i0 i tlla vf w Pf provide a novel plug cap soarranged that it will have a certain psychological effect on the personabout to remove it from an electrical outlet, since the cord projectsfrom the side of the plug cap, and not the top thereof, the person willhave no desire or inclination to remove the cap by pulling on the cordbecause it will be evident at first sight that the direction of pull isnot right to remove the cap, and that by pulling on the cord willabsolutely not remove the cap, and consequently the .person will graspthe pull ring and thus properly remove the plug cap from the outletwithout any danger of being electrically shocked, or loosening the wiresof the cord from the cap terminals, or breaking the wires or the cord,thus making my novel plug of great benefit to the public from thestandpoint of safety.

With these and other incidental objects in view my invention includescertain novel features of construction andcombinations of parts, theessential elements of which are set forth in appended claims, and apreferred and modified forms of embodiment which are hereinafterdescribed with reference to the drawing, which accompanies and formspart of this specification.

Of said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my novel plug cap showing the pull ring inthe closed or flush position, the connection cord being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the pull ring in the open or pullingposition, the plug terminals and the connection cord being both omitted.

Fig. 3 is a side view with the pull ring in the open position. In thisView the pull ring is also shown in the closed or flush position bydot-anddash lines.

Fig. 4 is a front view with the pull ring in the open or pullingposition.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of my novel plug cap, showing how the cord isinserted in the side of the cap, and at right angles to the line of pullon the cap when it is being removed from an outlet.

Detailed Description Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 6,inclusive, my novel plug cap with the hinged pull ring which is adaptedto be moved into a closed or flush position, will be described first.

The plug cap I5 is elongated as here shown and has the usual pair ofterminals l5 secured to the bottom side of a center rib I l which isshown in Figs. 3 and 5. The cap I5 is preferably made of a plasticelectrical insulating material such as rubber. However any other goodinsulating material that is moldable can be used without in any waydeparting from the spirit of my invention.

The usual screws I8 are used to secure wires I9 and 20 of an electricalconnection cord 2! to the terminals I5, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

A recess 24 in the top of the cap I5 provides space for a hinged pullring '25, hinged or pivoted on a hinge pin 26 supported in an onset 2!flush with the top of the cap I5 and formed in the recess 24. Thisrecess 24 creates side walls 28 each having a hole 29 in axial alinementwith the hinge pin 26 for assembly purposes. lhe pull ring 25 is forkedto form hinge bearing ears 3% by means of which the ring 25 is supportedon the hinge pin 26 to be moved from its closed or flush position intoits open or pulling position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively.

A semi-circular ledge 3I is formed in the recess 24 against the end ofthe walls 28 to provide a rest or support for the pull ring 25 when thelatter is in the closed or flush position. This ledge 3| holds the ring25 away from the rib I! thus providing finger space for a person, sothat when the finger is inserted into the ring 25 there will be enoughroom so that the finger can easily raise or lift the ring 25 out of therecess 24 about the hinge pin 26. The inside arcuate surface 32 of theledge 3I is of a larger radius than the inside radius of the ring 25 asshown in Figs. 1 and 3, which is also for the purpose of providingfinger gripping space.

The bottom of the plug cap I5 has a recess 40 which forms the bottomside of the rib I7, to provide space for the terminals I5 and theconnection cord 2I. Reinforcing sections 4|, 42 and 43 are provided inthe recess 40 as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and in fulllines in Fig. 6. This recess 40 creates a flange 44 all around thebottom of the plug cap I 5 and at the end thereof has a hole 45 for theinsertion of the connection cord 2|, thus providing a side outlet forthe cord 2| instead of the usual top outlet in plug caps now on themarket.

When a person wishes to remove the plug cap I5 from an electrical outlethe merely places his finger in the pull ring 25 (Fig. l), raises thering 25 into the position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, and then pulledstraight out thus removing the plug cap I5 from the electrical outletwithout any danger of loosening the wires I9 and/or 29 from theterminals I6, without any danger of breaking the cord 2I or the wires l9or 20 therein, and consequently without any danger of being shocked byelectricity, or blowing out any of the fuses in the line. Therefore byinvention is a novel improvement over any of the plug caps on themarket, from the standpoint of, first, safety, second, ease of removalof the plug cap, and third, cost in that repairs are reduced to aminimum.

While the form of device herein shown and described is admirably adaptedto fulfil the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that myinvention is not limited to the particular form herein shown, as otherforms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What I claim is:

l. A unitary plug cap for electrical outlets, the combination of aflange extending around the bottom of the cap to form a recess; anelectric cord projecting through said flange at one end of the cap; apair of terminals secured to said cap in said bottom recess; a pluralityof re-enforcing sections integral with said flange, two of whichsections form a channel for said cord; a flange on the top of the capextending along two sides and around the end thereof to form a toprecess; a lug integral with the cap and extending into said top recessopposite said one end of the flange; a forked member spanning said lug;a hinge pin extending through said member and said lug whereby saidforked member may be positioned at right angles to the top of the capand also may be positioned level with the top; and a shoulder integralwith said top flange and extending from the round end thereof into thetop recess to act as a stop for said forked member when in its levelposition to maintain the upper level side thereof flush with the top ofthe top flange.

2. In a unitary plug cap for electrical outlets. said cap having arecess in the top thereof to "form a flange the top of which is flushwith the" top of the cap, said flange having openings in axial alignmentand extending from the recess entirely through the flange; 3, lugintegral with the cap and extending into said recess, said lu beingflush with the top of the cap and the top of the flange and having anopening therethrough in axial alignment with said flange openings; aforked member projecting into said recess on each end of said lugbetween the lug and the flange; a hinge pin projecting through theforked end of the forked member and through said lug opening to providea hinge for said forked member, said member having an effective positionto act as a medium of removal of the plug cap from an electrical outlet,and having an ineffective position in which said member is entirelywithin the recess and laying flush with the top of the flange; ashoulder integral with the flange and projecting into said recessopposite said lug and serving as a stop for the forked member when thelatter is in its ineffective position; and an electric cord projectingthrough the side of the cap and extending into a recess in the bottom ofthe cap and attached to a pair of terminals secured to the cap in saidbottom recess.

HAROLD A. CLINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

